


Valorous

by Papa



Series: All's Well In Hope County [1]
Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5
Genre: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Multi, Reader is Selectively mute, basically a retelling of far cry 5, but like somewhat canon divergent, eventually there will also be pairings to come out of this but it's not the focus of the fic, except for nick and kim, i'll try and give a run down of where they are in notes before the chapters, just to be safe!, lots of scenes with graphic depictions of gore and violence!, lots of slow build in relationships, reader is also from/was raised in hope county, reader is terrified and acts on impulse until they learn to rise above it, so they roughly know the area without needing a map, some characters die and others don't, they only speak to those they are comfortable around (i.e. Whitehorse & Pratt & Hudson), they're going to absolutely fawn over the reader because that's basically what happens in game, this changes as the fic goes on due to further trauma and the like, will update the tags when needed!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:55:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23450560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Papa/pseuds/Papa
Summary: val·or·ous/ˈvalərəs/adjectiveshowing great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle."valorous deeds on the field of honor"--A rookie deputy fresh out of academy is launched into a terrifying situation full of cults, guns, and chaos. After an arrest gone awry, they set out on a journey to get back their coworkers and save Hope Country from the clutches of the infamous Joseph Seed.
Series: All's Well In Hope County [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686979
Kudos: 6





	Valorous

**Author's Note:**

> this chapter is more of an introduction than anything, following out how the game starts off with a few twists and tweaks in details and speech. basically just deep diving into the game whilst figuring out how to it would transcribe into words. 
> 
> This chapter contains: Explosions, a chase scene, and depictions of injury!

_ You sighed heavily, having finished watching the video explaining what exactly was happening in Hope County for the umpteenth time. Your eyes burning from the bright screen, looking up to the dimmer surroundings. The warm fall air wafted through the chopper’s interior as deputy Staci Pratt soared over the surrounding mountains and forest surrounding the county. Deputy Joey Hudson sat up front in the passenger’s seat, reading coordinates off to dispatch.  _

_ In front of you were seated both Sheriff Whitehorse and the U.S. Marshal that had been issued to your little escapade. He neither seemed pleased nor amused by the whole scenario. No doubt, he’d much rather be at home- not thinking this was worth his time. You frowned as he stared you down, your nose wrinkling.  _

_ “Not a talker, huh?” He asked and you looked off to the side, Whitehorse immediately stepping into the conversation.  _

_ “They’re selective,” He explained.  _

_ “They don’t talk to people they don’t like,” Pratt tossed over his shoulder and Hudson shot him a look.  _

_ “No, they only speak to those they feel comfortable with,” She sighed at her coworker’s snarky response, “And they’re only comfortable with us and as you’re here they’re not likely to pick up much conversation. As for why, well, that’s their business. It doesn’t stop them from being a damn good deputy, right, Staci?” _

_ “Yeah, yeah,” Pratt rolled his eyes, though he held a toying grin on his lips as he looked back at you briefly, “Even if you are a rookie.” _

_ You shook your head at him, though you couldn’t help a grin of your own from brightening your expression; you knew full well he meant no harm by his jokes. _

_ Thankfully the Marshal made no further comment, instead grumbling and pulling out a phone to look through.  _

_ “You’re wasting your time,” Whitehorse said, watching as the man seemed to struggle with the device for a moment or two, “There’s no signal out here.” _

_ He looked to the sheriff with confusion, however before any explanation could be made, Pratt turned the chopper cautiously.  _

_ “We’re crossing over the Henbane now,” He said and Hudson quickly murmured their whereabouts into the comms.  _

_ “Oh fuck,” She suddenly said, eyes widening as Pratt pulled around a huge, white statue envisioning a man in stone, “There he is.” _

_ “Crazy motherfucker,” Pratt interjected, venom in his words. You were a bit put off by his sudden drop in attitude. You never liked when people got angry, especially those who you’d never seen express anything but snark or endearing sass like Staci.  _

_ “We’re officially in Peggie country,” Hudson turned in her seat a bit to look back and lock eyes with you. You nervously glanced to Whitehorse at that, who had paled quite considerably.  _

_ “How much longer until we’re there?” The Marshal questioned, having finally pocketed his phone after messing with it further, probably hoping he might hit a break or something.  _

_ “Just long enough for you to change your mind so we can turn this bird around,” The sheriff replied coolly, eyeing the Marshal with an expression you couldn’t quite explain.  _

_ “You want me to ignore this federal warrant, Sheriff?” The Marshal accused and held up the paper in question causing the older man to look away stiffly.  _

_ “Not at all, I’m just wanting you-  _ **_needing_ ** _ you to understand the very gravity of this situation. Joseph Seed is not a man to be fucked with. We’ve had run-ins with him before and they haven’t always gone our way,” Whitehorse said with a shake of his head, “...Sometimes it’s better to just leave well enough alone.” _

_ You’d never personally had any encounters with the man himself, only having heard the stories when you’d gone on a few ride-along patrols with Pratt and Hudson before you left for academy.  _

_ “We have laws for a reason,  _ **_Sheriff_ ** _ ,” The Marshal spoke as if the words left a bitter taste on his tongue, his face all scrunched up in a sneer towards the senior, “And this Joseph Seed is going to learn that.” _

_ With a heavy sigh, Whitehorse looked to the front of the chopper, “Pratt, open a call with dispatch.” _

_ “Ten-four.” _

_ “Whitehorse to dispatch, over.” _

_ “Go ahead, Earl. Over,” The gentle voice of Nancy hummed over the comm.  _

_ She was a nice, older woman that always seemed to have hard candies or cookies on her person at all times. She was like a great aunt that spoiled whoever she saw fit. When you’d come back from academy, she was the first to throw her arms around you and congratulate your success, immediately claiming that she had baked all sorts of goodies for you in the back office. You smiled a bit at the memory.  _

_ “We’re approaching the compound, Nancy. Over,” Whitehorse said, starting to shift in his seat. You wondered if it were his nerves.  _

_ “Roger, Sheriff, Joey’s been keeping me updated and I’ve been recording your progress here on my end… Are you still sure you’re wantin’ to go through with this? Over,” Her voice lowered a bit and you could almost picture the worried frown on her face as she gripped the microphone back at the department.  _

_ He spared a glance at the Marshal, “We are… Unfortunately… I’m still trying to talk some sense into our friend the Marshal. Over.” _

_ She chuckled, though her voice was a bit clipped. No doubt trying to stay strong for the team out on the field, “Alright, well, he’s lucky I’m not there… If you get into any trouble you just let me know. Over.” _

_ “Ten-four, over and out.” _

_ You gnawed on your lower lip, taking the chance to look out of the helicopter and down at the compound. It was… a bit unnerving. You’d read a lot about cults, seen movies and shows, but the fact that you were going to be in the thick of it had you a bit on edge.  _

_ Not to mention… What exactly was taking place here?  _

_ “Maybe we shoulda brought Nancy along with us instead of the Probie, the Peggies sure as hell wouldn’t fuck with her,” Staci snickered and you huffed, causing him to glance back at you with a cheeky grin, “You know I’m just pullin’ your leg, Rook!” _

_ “Why do you keep calling them Peggies?” The Marshal questioned, raising a brow quizzically.  _

_ “Project at Eden’s Gate. P. E. G. --Peggies. That’s what the locals call ‘em,” The Sheriff replied as he studied the area outside. He paused when Pratt nudged the water canteen his way after having offered to Hudson, who’d merely pushed his hand away. Instead of drinking from it, he instead handed it to you, who, in turn, simply held onto it instead.  _

_ “Y’know, they started out all harmless and whatnot,” He continued, looking at the Marshal, “But now they’re armed to the teeth, ready for anything that comes their way… Another reason I’m wary to even give the place a second look.” _

_ The Marshal stroked the dark hair on his chin, eyeing the Sheriff with a somewhat knowing look. One that had you bristle.  _

_ “Are you scared, Sheriff?” He asked, his voice teetering on the edge of being a taunt.  _

_ Before he could respond, Staci spoke up.  _

_ “We’re here,” He said, steering the chopper down, “Setting her down to land.” _

_ You looked to the compound once more, really taking it in. You first spotted the church, a few buildings scattered here and there around front of it. Then what looked to be a barn with an area for farming and perhaps gardening, you weren’t entirely sure. Getting down closer, you saw a few of the inhabitants, a majority of whom looked ready to go rabid- especially now that a helicopter full of law enforcement was landing on their territory.  _

_ You doubted any of them would be raring to give a warm welcome.  _

_ “This is a bad idea…” Hudson said, her voice cracking from nerves.  _

_ “Last chance, Marshal…” Sheriff said warily. _

_ The Marshal in return only sighed, rolling his eyes as if the mere presumption that any of them were nervous of the idea of dropping into the middle of a cult compound was anything less than pathetic.  _

_ “We’re going in,” He replied bluntly.  _

_ “...” The older man locked eyes with you for a few beats before begrudgingly tossing a “Set her down” over his shoulder towards the pilot.  _

_ Pratt nodded, lowering the chopper down onto the grassy ground below. You stiffened considerably, eyeing the group that seemed to be gathering around the bird. Each and every one of them appeared different, yet the same. Tattoos and scars littered their bodies, and, from what you could see, they each held a look of absolute hatred in their gazes.  _

_ Some of them were wielding rifles, amongst other weapons, and a few held their fist tight and in front of them. They all looked ready to tear the chopper and, to a greater extent, the crew inside to pieces.  _

_ “Dispatch, are you still there? Over,” Whitehorse asks over the comms and you start preparing to unbuckle yourself, double checking over your gear.  _

_ “Yes, go ahead Sheriff. Over.” _

_ “If you don’t hear from us in about fifteen minutes… send in everyone,” Whitehorse continued on, unbuckling himself from his seat, “Call the goddamn National Guard if you have to… Deputy Pratt will be back with the chopper and he’ll get ahold of you. Over.” _

_ “Yessir, Sheriff,” Nancy said, “I’ll be prayin’ for y’all. Over.” _

_ Surely there wouldn’t be a need for any drastic measures, right? You worried your lower lip and put a hand on the inner part of the chopper, ready to haul yourself out.  _

_ “Hey, Rookie,” Pratt said, turning around in his seat to face you, “You’ll be okay. ‘Sides you got Hudson and the Sheriff to watch your back.” _

_ He smiled though you could tell it was strained. He was nervous. Hudson looked over her seat back at you and produced a similar smile, though hers was a bit easier to pull.  _

_ “I won’t let anyone put a finger on you,” She promised, “It’ll be a quick job, okay?” _

_ This seemed to settle your nerves a bit and you nodded, quickly moving to take a quick sip of water from the canister before holding it back towards Pratt. He nodded and took it back, capping it and settling it on the floor.  _

_ “Now listen up, we’re gonna have three rules,” the Sheriff said, having taken off his headset and replacing it with his hat, “Stick close, keep your guns in your holsters, and let me do the talking. Got it?” _

_ “Got it,” Hudson said and you nodded.  _

_ The Marshal remained quiet, shaking his head dismissively as he pulled himself out of the chopper and landed on the dusty ground. Pratt made no move to fully shut the helicopter down, having it prepped and ready for a speedy get away when your group came back.  _

_ “Alright everyone, stay sharp,” Whitehorse announced as he hopped out onto the ground, you and Hudson were quick to follow, “Let’s go.” _

_ You gave Staci one final salute before trailing after the group, making sure not to fall too far behind. There were a few members of the cult, Peggies, who stepped forward and you immediately felt your hand reaching for your belt. Hudson nudged you quietly and shook her head when you glanced at her.  _

_ She didn’t want you getting ahead of yourself, there was a time and place and now and here were neither. Although she found you admirable for sticking with the group as long as you did, insisting on coming with them to arrest the son of a bitch terrorizing their county, she really wished Whitehorse had told you to at least stay on the chopper with Staci. She’d should have spoken up about it, but she didn’t want you to think that she didn’t believe you could handle it. She knew you could, but she didn’t want to take the chance of you getting hurt what with this being your first time out, so to speak.  _

_ “He’ll be in the church, so stick close,” Whitehorse called back to the two of you, holding onto his hat to keep it from flying off from the wind of the chopper, “And keep your eyes open, these folks spook easily…” _

_ Hudson rose a brow at you and you dropped your shoulders, forcing yourself to relax as the pair of you followed the Marshal and Sheriff; the latter of which taking the lead of the group towards the church.  _

_ “On me,” She said and you immediately walked in tandem with her, glancing over your shoulder every few minutes, “Relax, stay loose, but keep your guard up.” _

_ You nodded, allowing your hands to fall at your sides, but still tensed and ready to draw your weapon if it was needed.  _

_ “Stay calm everyone, go about your business,” Whitehorse said aloud as if he were directing it towards the individuals who stepped forward. Everyone who was currently in the compound seemed to be out that night, all eyes on your group as you headed further down the path, “This doesn’t concern you.” _

_ “This is a federal issue,” The Marshal followed, his back straight and taut, “Do not interfere ‘less you wish to be met with a case.” _

_ Hudson frowned and you felt her hand brush against your arm, a signal to let you know she was close without spooking you. You appreciated the little things your coworkers did.  _

_ “Sheriff, I don’t like this,” She whispered, her dark eyes flitting about the place, “There’s more of them here than we thought.” _

_ You wanted to comfort her, but you didn’t want to divert more attention to your group so you bit your tongue.  _

_ “Everything’s fine, Hudson,” The sheriff replied, “It’ll be okay, just keep steady.” _

_ She opened her mouth to object, scoffing instead as soon as the Marshal beat her to it.  _

_ “Jesus Christ, you’re all wearing badges aren’t you?” He sneered and she puffed out her chest.  _

_ “Yeah, well, they don’t respect badges all that much out here,” She retorted, casting him a glare. Had he been tuning out every instance of the warnings they gave about these damned folks? _

_ “They’ll respect a nine millimeter,” He threatened, staring down a cultist who started getting a tad too close.  _

_ “Keep your voice down,” Whitehorse hushed, “Not every problem can be solved with a bullet.” _

_ The sounds of dogs barking caused you to jump, gasping sharply as you whipped your attention to the side. Fenced off from the rest of the compound were a pair of dogs, large and imposing. They salivated, teeth bared, and clawed at the wire that kept them separated. In that moment you thanked whoever was out there listening for coming up with the stuff- though you had to wonder if the canines were rabid.  _ _ From the foam cornering their mouths to their bloodshot eyes, you could only assume that to be the case.  _

_ Hudson touched your arm once more and you stood at attention, realizing your group had reached the front door to the church. It was now or never. You looked to the Sheriff for his okay, clenching your fists tightly. This was no time to go off and get cold feet.  _

_ A slow, yet loud, rendition of Amazing Grace was being sung just on the other side of the church doors. No doubt a choir or perhaps even a group of other cultists just on the other side… Then again, maybe luck was on your side tonight and it was simply some sort of surround sound speakers. You didn’t want to get your hopes up, though.  _

_ The Marshal grasped onto the doors, both yourself and Hudson tensing. Thankfully, Whitehorse quickly put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head, “Now if we’re doing this, we’re doing it my way. That means quiet and careful. Understand?” _

_ “Are you kidding me right now?” The Marshal bit back, his face forming a grimace. When the other man made no move to drop his hand he sighed and relented, “...Fine.” _

_ The Sheriff looked to Hudson shortly after, dropping his hand and settling it on his belt.  _

_ “Deputy, you stay by the door, watch our backs,” He ordered and she nodded, “Don’t let any of these people get in. Rookie--” _

_ You perked. _

_ “You’re on me,” He said and you stood straight as he turned to the Marshal, “And you- try not to do anything stupid.” _

_ “Relax, Sheriff, you’re about to get your name in the paper,” He replied, as if that and that alone were enough to make up for whatever horrifying thing was about to happen.  _

_ You shared a look with Hudson, who looked like she would rather be the one going in with the Sheriff, before following the Sheriff and Marshal into the church as soon as the doors were open.  _

_ Immediately looking over the crowd, you took in all of what you could see. At least a dozen folks. A few of which were armed, some were seated in the pews on either side of the aisle. At the very back of the church, where it was raised ever so slightly, stood the man himself.  _

_ Joseph Seed.  _

_ He was situated in front of the podium with television screens on either side of him, his gaze cast down towards his ‘flock’, not even sparing your group a glance.  _

_ “You can feel it, can’t you?” He said smoothly, “We are creeping towards the edge and there will be a reckoning.” _

_ You pulled your eyes away from him, instead turning your head to study the various members of the audience. Like the people outside, these folks looked ready to tear out your throat. Riddled with tattoos and cuts, some burnt and some appearing to be on the throws of the best high of their lives; vacant expressions, blown pupils. What the fuck- was he pumping them full of drugs now? _

_ “That’s why we started the Project, because we know what happens next,” Seed’s words rang strong throughout the chapel and although it wasn’t a very big space, you felt as if even if he were out in a field, his voice would echo throughout the valley. _

_ “They will come. They will try to take from us. Take our guns, take our freedom… Take our faith!” _

_ The Marshal looked back to the Sheriff as they continued their slow approach to the back of the church, his face expressing concern- most likely as to why they weren’t just rushing the man and slapping him in cuffs. The elder shook his head, waving a hand cautiously. They needed to approach this calmly, lest the rest of the church jump to attack.  _

_ A few people had already risen from their seats, you could feel their glares burning into your back and you resisted the urge to turn around. You locked your gaze onto Joseph once more and felt chills up and down your spine.  _

_ He was staring at  _ **_you_ ** _ now. _

_ “But we will not let them,” He announced, giving you a look that felt as if your very soul were being watched, “We will not let their greed, or their immorality, or their depravity hurt us anymore! There will be no more suffering!” _

_ “Sheriff…” The Marshal warned. _

_ “Do not pull that trigger- remain calm,” He said, raising his hands as if he were trying to calm a nervous horse.  _

_ “Fuck that,” A quick movement and the paper the Marshal had been holding in the chopper was out once more, held high and towards the head of the cult, “Joseph Seed! I have a warrant issued for your arrest on the suspicion of kidnapping with the intent to harm!” _

_ Joseph had slowly slid his gaze over to the Marshal, face blank of any emotion. This gave you a chance to take in his appearance. Hair pulled into a tight bun, yellow sunglasses- wearing them at night no less, which within itself was odd- no shirt, pants, and boots. What almost caught you off guard were the tattoos and scars that littered his torso. Unlike his followers, maybe of the worn cuts and marks seemed to have been faded for what might have been years.  _

_ Puckered red and angry looking lines that rose against the rest of his skin, words etched in as if done repeatedly. As if… each time they healed, they were reopened until they healed the way he wanted them too.  _

_ A black rosary was wrapped around his left hand, a fourth of the chain dangling down by his leg. It seemed too pure of an object to be in a place such as this.  _

_ Movement caught your eye behind him and you shifted your gaze to look at a rather… well, pretty looking man. He was staring at you, adorning a slick hairstyle and long jacket over a blue button up. He tilted his head, a sinister smirk crossing his lips and you swallowed thickly to look back at Joseph. The man looked like he was ready to eat you alive- and he very well might have. _

_ “Now I want you to step forward and keep your hands where I can ‘em,” The Marshal continued.  _

_ “Go back to where you came from!” Came a shout from the back of the church but Joseph shook his head, raising his hands, palms out towards your group.  _

_ A pair of armed men stepped on either side of the stage, glaring daggers towards the Marshal.  _

_ “And… here they are…the locusts in our garden,” Joseph breathed out, as if caught in a revelation, “See they’ve come for me. They’ve come to take me away from you. They’ve come to destroy all that we’ve built.” _

_ As he spoke, more people stepped in front of your group and the stage. Each of them proclaiming amongst themselves on how they wouldn’t let it happen. How none of you would dare to lay a finger on their precious Father.  _

_ You placed a hand on your belt, fingers twitching against the button encasing your pistol. You rose your free hand warily, as if it would put some kind of barrier in front of you in case one of them started barreling towards you.  _

_ “Hey, hey!” The Marshal mimicked your action, though he started pulling his gun out of its holster and you backed up, “Put your guns down- put your guns down!” _

_ “Now hold on!” Whitehorse shouted over the sounds of jeering Peggies, raising a hand in his direction, ready to stop him, “Do not touch that weapon and hold on! Hold on and stand the hell down! Everyone calm down-” _

_ He stopped as soon as Joseph began stepping down from his platform, settling his hands on a few of the closest people as if using them for leverage. The man in the long jacket strode over to take his place on stage, still keeping a steely gaze on you though his face was locked in a bored expression now. He seemed far too lax for your liking.  _

_ Another man, this one with red hair that was shaved on the sides and a longer beard stepped out to replace the coated man’s spot. He seemed far more aggressive, glaring the Marshal down with what you could only place as a look to kill. He was taller than the other two men, scars that looked like burns mottling his skin here and there. The army fatigues he wore were, though well kept looking, seemed to have seen better days.  _

_ On the opposite side of the stage, a shorter woman came up. She was fair looking, with messy, light hair and a dreamy expression on her face. She wore a lace white dress that fell to her mid-thigh, tied tight around her waist with a large bow. From what you could see, she wore no shoes, but her feet didn’t look the least bit dirty. She didn’t seem to be focusing on anything in particular, though her gaze continued to drop back on the Sheriff every now and then; otherwise it was looking up and around at the ceiling.  _

_ “We knew this moment would come,” Joseph said softly to his group. His flock, “We have prepared for it.” _

_ The group all murmured their worries and concerns to which Joseph gently hushed them.  _

_ “Go,” He said, ushering them towards the doors, “God will not let them take me.” _

_ You stiffened, not dropping your hands as the group began to walk past you. They shot you looks of pure hatred, a few baring their teeth and likely resisting the urge to spit at you as they strode past. You kept eyes on as many of them as you could, gaze following their movements as they continued to exit the church.  _

_ “I saw when the Lamb opened the First Seal and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts say come and see….” Joseph began and you turned, startled to see his gaze up and arms outstretched towards the ceiling. The people on the stage having come closer, though they made no move to stop the Marshal as he rose a hand towards Joseph.  _

_ “Step. Forward,” He ordered, his voice dark with warning.  _

_ “And I saw,” Joseph continued, dropping his hands and looking to the Marshal, pointing directly at him before slowly shifting his eyes to the Sheriff, “...and behold, it was a white horse…” _

_ Then, with a look that you felt in your very soul, he turned to stare at you. His next words made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end and you widened your eyes, fingers twitching.  _

_ “...And Hell followed with him…” _

_ His words held no malice, no spite when he spoke to you. To you. You knew he was now directing anything and everything towards you, as if he wanted you to be the sole listener- the only one to take his word and keep it at heart.  _

_ Every nerve was on end, something deep inside you screaming at you to run. To run and never look back. To grab the Sheriff and Hudson and run back to Staci at the chopper and get the hell out of there. If the Marshal wanted to take Joseph Seed down so badly then he could go right ahead, but at this moment you were wanting no part of it.  _

_ He stretched his hands out to you and you flinched ever so slightly, trying not to watch the way his rosary swayed to and fro. ...There was no way he was giving up this easily.  _

_ “Rookie, cuff this son of a bitch,” The Marshal said and you snapped out of whatever anxiety induced trance you’d put yourself in, the hand on your gun shifting to the pocket where you kept your cuffs.  _

_ “God will not let you take me,” Joseph said softly, head tilting as he watched you.  _

_ You were such a fragile looking thing, yet you had this air of hidden strength about you. He was curious as to why you hadn’t said a word in the entire time you’d been there, though it had only been a few short moments. He was even more curious as to where you came from. You might have been familiar with one of his other family members, he himself tended not to leave his personal compound unless he was going to examine one of his siblings’ bunkers.  _

_ He watched as your fingers shook as you pulled out the cuffs, exhaling warily and he blinked slowly. The words of Him hushing any rising suspicion of you he might have. Everything would come to light eventually.  _

_ You didn’t dare look up at him until after you had the cuffs in your palms, inwardly cursing at your shaky hands. This was not the time to be a chicken shit, not in front of the Marshal, not in front of Whitehorse, and certainly not in front of the bastard you were supposed to arrest.  _

_ “Rook!” The Marshal snapped, “Put the cuffs on him.” _

_ You didn’t need to be told a third time, steeling your nerves and stepping forward, clamping the cold steel around his wrists.  _

_ “Sometimes the best thing to do… is walk away,” He whispered in a tone so soft that you almost didn’t catch it. You stared at him in shock, but he made no move to look at you, instead staring straight ahead at the door where the Sheriff was marching over to.  _

_ The Marshal stood behind Joseph, jerking his head at you to get a move on. You put your hand on the man’s bare shoulder and started urging him forward. You were surprised as he put up no fight, allowing you to guide him out of the church. In fact, it was as if he himself were leading you back towards the chopper.  _

_ “They’re taking him!” Someone shouted. _

_ “They’re taking the Father!” Another screamed as if in agony.  _

_ Now you were sure everyone was out in the compound now, masses of people on either side of you as you urged the Father a little faster.  _

_ “It’s getting crazy out here,” Hudson said under her breath, falling into step with you, her body stiff, “I almost thought I was going to have to bust in there and drag you guys out…” _

_ “Marshal take point,” The Sheriff ordered and the Marshal stepped away from you to take the lead, a hand on his gun. You noted that both the Sheriff and Hudson had hands on theirs as well. _

_ Your free hand flexed and you chewed on your inner cheek. You knew things were getting ugly and fast. People were shouting obscenities, guns raised over their heads. Those without had their hands reached out towards Joseph, sobbing and begging him not to leave.  _

_ He simply continued walking, not making any signs of struggle.  _

_ “I am a Federal Marshal, I am ordering you to stand back!” The Marshal snapped at a man who got to close, shoving him back firmly.  _

_ You didn’t relax even when you saw the chopper, only a good ten feet away from it now. You choked when a rock whizzed past your head, smacking into the ground in front of you with a clatter. This seemed to prompt further rocks being thrown, Hudson and the Sheriff dropping down low with their guns drawn, with him pushing her behind him as he turned to face the crowd. A maneuver you’d watched time and time again when they practiced on the slow days.  _

_ The Marshal, who’d also drew out his gun, fired it in the air, “Get him on the chopper! Get back, dammit!” _

_ You pushed Joseph a bit faster, tugging him down low and watching as Hudson stepped into the chopper, tugging him up and seating him down where Whitehorse had before. Whitehorse moved to take the passenger pilot’s seat, immediately attempting to get a hold of dispatch. The Marshal kept his gun poised as he lifted himself into the chopper. _

_ “Get us out of here!” He shouted and Pratt nodded firmly, starting to raise the helicopter off the ground.  _

_ “Shit!” Hudson shouted, trying to close the door, “Rook, get that one!” _

_ Your hands gripped the handles, trying to slide the chopper doors closed as a few of the cultists jumped forward, one latching onto the Marshal’s arm. One Hudson’s side they were attempting to crawl in, clawing at her leg.  _

_ You immediately started kicking as you felt a tugging at your boot, eyes wide as a manic looking man reached up towards you. _

_ “Fucker!” The Marshal spat, using the heel of his boot to drive it into the side of the man’s head, watching as he fell down towards the ground.  _

_ “We’re too heavy!” Pratt shouted, voice hitching as he struggled to keep the chopper level, “Shit!” _

_ “Get us the fuck outta here!”  _

_ “Nancy! Nancy, do you copy?!” Whitehorse shouted into his comm.  _

_ “We’re up!” Pratt shouted as the chopper managed to make it a few meters above the treeline before he cursed, “They’re on the windshield!” _

_ Time seemed to slow as you whipped your head upfront, watching in horror as another cultist clambered on the glass. They were holding on for dear life, screaming before they hoisted themselves up and a splash of crimson followed.  _

_ “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Pratt screamed as the chopper’s engines faltered, alarms suddenly blaring, “I c-can’t-!” _

_ “We’re going down!” Whitehorse shouted and Hudson gasped in alarm. _

_ “Hold onto something!” _

_ “Brace for im-” _

_ The sudden crash of the chopper slamming into the ground had you screaming in shock, the back of your head slamming into your seat hard enough to jostle your senses. You didn’t fully black out until you felt your body jerk forward, catching against your seat belt and snapping your head down and to the side. A gurgle of a choke escaping you as the belt dug into your chest and throat, pinching your lap. _

_ You couldn’t have been out for more than a few seconds at least, the sound soft sound radio gently pulling you to crack your eyes open. Your body ached and you sniffled, the strong smell of iron invading your senses and you suddenly realized truly how hard it was to breathe at all. Looking to the side, you blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear your vision- only to realize that it was far too smoky to see much of anything. Hanging upside down forced the belt to dig further into your abdomen and you shifted, pulling your dangling hands up to try and yank at the clasp. As you did so, the sound of someone muffled had you reaching out without realizing it.  _

_ You fumbled for the swaying headset. The others seemed to be unconscious, at least you hoped so, and made no move to react.  _

_ “Hello? Somebody- please- answer me!” _

_ Nancy… if you could just get a hold of it, maybe try and rasp out a few words, she could get help. She could contact the National Guard… The back-up that was planned for just an occasion like this. _

_ Unfortunately, as soon as your fingers made contact with the headset, a hand was wrapped around your wrist; not tight enough to hurt, but enough to make you jerk in surprise.  _

_ It was only then that you realized that the smooth church hymn was not coming from the radio, but in fact, from the devil himself.  _

_ Joseph _ **_fucking_ ** _ Seed. _

_ “I told you god wouldn’t let you take me.” _

_ He leaned close, singing the rest of his tune as the metal of the chopper creaked and groaned. You struggled to pull away as he reached up to snag the prompter of the headset, mumbling something to Nancy.  _

_ “Dispatch. Everything is just fine here. No need to call anyone.” _

_ There was a brief pause before Nancy replied, her words chilling you to the very bone and you wondered for a moment if all the blood rushing to your head was making you hear things. _

_ “Yes, Father. Praise be to you.” _

_ Fucking Nancy! Traitor. You hissed between your teeth as he let the headset drop, moving to grab your jaw in a firm hold. His fingers dug into your likely bruised skin and you winced, tears brimming the edges of your vision. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.  _

_ He leaned in close and you swore you could smell something akin to aftershave- though it was overshadowed by the burning of the chopper. You resisted the urge to spit in his face as his stare bore into your own.  _

_ “No one is coming to save you…” He whispered before pushing your head back and tugging himself out of the wrecked chopper.  _

_ You glared after him, immediately struggling with the clasps of your belt once more. He was talking again, but not to you- instead he was beginning to announce exactly that this was all going according to his- no- “god’s” will.  _

_ “The first seal has been broken!” He shouted and the crowd cheered, “The Collapse has begun and we will take what we need! We will preserve what we have! And we will kill all those who stand in our way…” _

_ He pointed towards the chopper and you felt your stomach churn, “And these… these harbingers of doom will see the truth.” _

_ “We gotta get outta here…” You heard Whitehorse mumble, his voice thick as if he himself had already lost his lunch, “We gotta… get outta here…!” _

_ Hudson was sniffling from her position, blinking rapidly as she started to come to. She looked around panickedly before she laid her gaze on you, confusion evident in her expression.  _

_ “BEGIN THE REAPING!” Joseph shouted loud enough that his voice echoed and you jolted to action. _

_ “They’re coming! Run!” Hudson shouted, falling in a way that allowed her to land feet first. Though it was all for naught as grimy hands reached into the chopper and grabbed at her, forcing her through the broken glass and twisting metal.  _

_ “Get the fuck off me!” She screamed, kicking and throwing punches this way and that. _

_ You tried clawing at the buckle now, eyes watering from the thickening smoke. _

_ “Fire! Hudson! Shit- Rook, get outta there-!” Pratt snapped at you before falling head first into the roof of the chopper. However, his fate was similar to Hudson’s, his never ending streams of curses as members of the cult wrenched him through the front window, his back scraping painfully against the cracked glass and you felt tears burning your vision at the red leaking down the jagged edges once he was pulled free. _

_ You gasped and choked on the thick smoke, only able to see bits of the Sheriff through the smoke, but just knowing that he was likely getting similar treatment. You watched as the Marshal finally fell from his seat and felt hands start to pull on you, hands gripping onto your arms before shouts of pain followed a wave of crackling fire. The hands left you and you clawed at the belt, digging your fingers into the button. _

_ “Let them burn!” Joseph called over the chaos, “This! This is their punishment!” _

_ You hacked, feeling something finally click and you collapsed from your seat. A strangled yelp escaped you as soon as your shoulder slammed into the hot metal, a nasty bruise no doubt ready to appear in a few hours.  _

_ You were quick to push yourself up, throwing yourself onto the gravel outside the chopper seconds before one of them Peggie bastards could grab you.  _

_ “They’re getting away!” One of them screamed and you pushed yourself up, tripping over your feet as you whipped your gaze from side to side. _

_ Shit, shit, shit… Where do I go? _

_ You didn’t give yourself much more time to think before you were sprinting into the woods, sparing a glance over your shoulder just in time to see a Peggie pull out a gun. You jerked to the side and felt the whiz of bullets fly inches away from your arm. You tore through the shrubbery, hands clasping onto trees and using them to propel yourself forward.  _

_ Faster, faster- need to outrun them.  _

_ A bullet ripped across the side of your knee and you screamed, leg buckling under your weight as you collapsed and rolled. You clenched your jaw, digging your elbows into the forest floor as you struggled to push forward. The rush of adrenaline in your veins and the will to get the hell out of there didn’t have you on the ground for very long, the burning sensation in your leg being the last of your problems as you heard the shouting from the vicious group no doubt now hot on your heels.  _

_ Your breathing was heavy and thick as your pace had slowed quite a bit since your initial sprinting, but you continued on.  _

_ I will not die here. **I** _ **_will not die here._ **

_ You took the chance to glance over your shoulder once again, grinning slightly at the sight of the Peggies being further back than you thought. However, your stomach dropped to your toes as your foot suddenly stepped out into nothing and you gasped in surprise as you were suddenly falling forward. You slammed into the rocky ground and groaned, the air being ripped from your lungs.  _

_ “Where’d they go?!” _

_ “Find them!” _

_ You rolled to the side slightly, pushing yourself under a nestle of thorny bushes and out of sight. A hand clasped over your mouth and nose to help silence your gasps of pain and terror, eyes wide as you watched the group of maybe seven or so people storm past your hiding spot, all shouting and swearing curses.  _

_ You’ve never heard wishes on your death before.  _

_ Hands shaking, you waited until you couldn’t hear their voices anymore to let yourself relax. You inhaled shakily, looking around warily before you crawled out from under the bush- thorns scratching along your hands and exposed arms, stinging your already burning skin.  _

_ Again, the least of your problems right now.  _

_ You felt anxiety seize in your chest, looking back towards the crash sight worriedly. Had the others gotten away? Had they escaped? Were Hudson and Pratt with Whitehorse right now? Were they looking for you? Dare you go back? _

_ “...lo?” _

_ You jumped, scrabbling at the walkie-talkie on your belt, trying not to be too surprised that it had managed to stay attached to you.  _

_ “Shit… is anyone there? It’s me- I’m holed up at some trailer not too far from the crash site-” _

_ The Marshal. What was his name…? He’d been such an asshole that you hadn’t cared enough to learn his name fully. Now you wish you had.  _

_ You sniffled something thick and coppery tasting and spat out onto the forest floor, eyes widening at the spot of crimson that now stained the underbrush. Wiping your nose on the back of your hand revealed that indeed it was bleeding- or perhaps just hadn’t stopped since the initial crash.  _

  
  


_ It didn’t take you long to start limping back towards the crash, using the bushes and other foliage around you to your advantage. The pain in your leg had dulled considerably, though you hadn’t had the guts to look down at it just yet; you could do that once you’d gotten in touch with the Marshal. You’d make him help you if you had to- make him make up for leaving you and the others in the chopper.  _

_ Coward. ...No, you couldn’t say that. You’d done the same in his position- as much as you’d like to think you wouldn’t. _

_ Dodging to tuck down behind a tree you looked around, you were still a good few meters from the chopper- or so you believed -but lo and behold a trailer in the distance. You didn’t see any signs of Peggies or even that so-called priest, but that didn’t stop you from continuing to practically crawl to the trailer door.  _

_ You didn’t stand up until your hand was on the knob, practically collapsing into it and falling on the floor inside.  _

_ Hands were on you in seconds and you almost shrieked, your own hands coming up to start beating on whoever had you in their clutches.  _

_ “Fuck- hey! Rookie, goddammit, it’s me!” _

_ The Marshal shook you violently and you stopped your assault, tears in your fear stricken eyes. He stared at you for a good breath or two before he relaxed his grip, though his hold on you didn’t waver. You swallowed thickly and dropped your gaze to the floor.  _

_ It wasn’t until then did you realize that perhaps you were being the coward in this situation. You were positive that the other deputies were handling this far better than you were- you doubted either of them were on the verge of crying. You needed to be better than this.  _

_ He was out of breath, perhaps having ran for his life just as you had, apologizing and telling you that he was sure he’d thought you’d been snatched up. You gently moved his hands from your shoulders, wincing as he looked around. Recon, he was scoping the place out. _

_ “Check the room, Rook,” He pointed to the opposite end of the trailer and you nodded, sidestepping to peer inside as he did the same to the other side. _

_ Seeing nothing on either end, you both met in the middle and he cursed the damned family that had started this whole mess, slamming a portrait of them onto the table. You stared at it, anger bubbling in your gut. _

_ “I was wrong-- I didn’t- I couldn’t realize… This is bigger than I thought...” He was pacing, swearing under his breath as he stormed over to the other side of the trailer. _

  
  


_ “First things first, we gotta arm ourselves,” Cocking a gun that almost too conveniently seemed to be attached to the wall above what might have been a medkit, “You still have yours?” _

_ You touched your still holstered gun and nodded as he continued, “Here’s what we’re gonna do. There’s a road out there, we’re gonna take it and head northeast. It should only be a few hours back to Missoula. We’re gonna get help- and then, we’re coming back with the goddamn National Guard. We should have just let them deal with this in the beginning- not made them Plan fuckin’ B.” _

_ You had dropped your gaze to your injured leg, gently settling a hand over the wound and hissing through your teeth. What if this wouldn’t work…? What if Joseph’s people were waiting for you both? A weight dropped onto your shoulder and you looked up at him, the confidence in his expression grounding you. He knew what to do.  _

_ This would work.  _

_ “You used to live here didn’t you? The others, too?” He asked and you nodded once more. It had been more than a few months since the members of the Hope County law department had been practically driven out of the county.  _

_ You’d still been in the academy during the time, so imagine your surprise when you were sent an address from Missoula, which was a good few hours away from where you were originally stationed. The Sheriff had explained that there was something dark laying under the surface and they’d been instructed by higher powers to get out of there. You’d pressed further and he’d begrudgingly told you of the cult’s first uprisings.  _

_ That had been earlier in the year. It was hard to think that the cult was able to organize themselves so quickly. Then again- they’d been planning on this for some time. However, they’d only ever just been an overly religious group of folks when you’d first heard of them.  _

_ “You know this area, right? You can get us out of here?” He continued and you spared a glance outside, giving a small shrug of your shoulders. You couldn’t exactly see much, but he seemed content with your answer, “Great, we’ll work with it. Now-” _

_ You almost wanted to vomit at the sound of voices in the distance.  _

_ “Shit… Okay,” He put a hand on the sill, “I’m going to get to that truck over there- I saw it on the way in. I’ll wire it if I have to, I need you to cover me.” _

_ You swallowed thickly and held the gun tightly as he rose his other hand.  _

_ “One… two… three!” _

_ He jumped out the window and made a break for the truck, you followed suit, turning on your heels to fire at the unsuspecting Peggies. A few of them shouted as you had missed vital spots, but a couple went down- no signs of getting back up. The sight made your stomach churn.  _

_ When you took on this job, you never once thought you’d actually be killing people, even at the stake of your own survival. It was scary and some primal instinct deep within you continued to push on.  _

_ Finger never leaving the trigger, you continued to back up to the truck, stopping when you pressed into the side.  _

_ “Got it!” The Marshal announced when the truck roared to life and you managed to wrench the passenger side door open, falling inside. He didn’t give you a chance to close the door before he was racing down the road.  _

_ The next few moments seemed to go by in a flash. The withered trucks that followed promptly behind you had you busy, firing off rounds and hoping you managed to hit something. The Marshal’s driving wasn’t exactly smooth, but then again how else would you maneuver while bullets were raining down on you from every direction.  _

_ “Here!” He shoved a bag of something in your direction and you grabbed it, fumbling with the contents before your eyes grew wide. There was no way this was real.  _

_ “They were under the seat!” He shouted over the roar of the engine, tossing a lighter in your direction. You grabbed it quickly, not needing any further instructions.  _

_ You were quick to ignite the dynomite, leaning out the truck window to toss stick after stick behind you towards the advancing trucks. Explosions lit up the night in a ray of reds, oranges, and yellows.  _

_ “When the fuck did they get air support?!” He suddenly shouted at the sight of the plane zooming past overhead, grabbing onto your belt and yanking you back into the truck before its fire could take you out.  _

_ Just as you turned around in your seat to see the bridge coming overhead, the plane shot once more, not seeming to care who it was attacking as long as the truck you were using was getting hit.  _

_ “Jesus Christ! Incoming!”  _

_ Another explosion erupted in your vision and the truck teetered to the side. The next thing you saw was water. A lot of water. You inhaled before the vehicle slammed into the river below, various other trucks landing alongside it. Again, you found yourself struggling to get out of a destroyed something or other.  _

_ You watched the Marshal once more leaving you in the dust, swimming up towards the surface. Your vision felt fuzzy and you struggled to pull yourself out, your foot catching on the truck for a few brief, horrifying seconds. You kicked yourself free, but not before your lungs began to burn for air. You tried holding what little oxygen in that you had, weakly propelling yourself up. The black fuzz creeping along the edges of your vision making the urge to break out from your watery prison all that more desperate.  _

_ You weren’t sure how, but you found yourself on the shore moments later, hands slapping against the murky sand and rocks as you coughed out whatever water had managed to enter your lungs.  _

_ Collapsing into a soggy heap, you rolled to the side and watched as the Marshal struggled to get away from the Peggie bastards. He was shouting, screaming, cursing them out- no doubt putting up a fight. More than what you could ever do.  _

_ You weakly looked away, coughing again as the silhouette of someone loomed over you.  _

_ You just hoped it would be a quick death. You were too exhausted to keep your eyes open as you felt hands pull you up.  _

* * *

You found yourself jolting with a scream, jostling awake and more than prepared to throw whatever you could in any direction you saw fit. The sharp pain in your wrists prevented that, however, and you instead looked up to see your bruised wrists fastened tightly to a… bedpost? You looked around cautiously, eyes adjusting to the dimly lit room that you just so happened to be in. 

_How did I get here?_

“Ah, finally, you’re awake.”

You snapped your gaze to the far off corner above the bed, you hadn’t even thought to look there first- it was the likeliest place for someone to hide just outside of your direct vision. This wasn’t uncommon knowledge, you  _ knew  _ this. You were dead. Dead. 

You immediately started writhing, kicking your legs out in case the stranger got much closer. A dangerous glare was shot their way only to whither as you gasped out in pain, a burning sensation shooting through your leg. Arms crossed, they tilted their head dismissively. 

“You done?”

Realizing he’d yet to make a move in any way to physically harm you, you slowly stopped your flopping; inwardly scolding yourself for such a sloppy maneuver.  _ The best way to take out an opponent is when you yourself have your own bearings,  _ Pratt’s advice echoed in the back of your head. He always knew what to do… 

“Now, if you’ll stop your squirmin’ and listen up- you were messed up somethin’ awful, you’ve been out for a day.”

Your eyes bugged and you felt panic rising in your throat.  _ An entire day?  _ There was no way… you’d only just closed your eyes when you woke up from the river… The river! The Marshal- Hudson, Pratt, and Whitehorse-

As if sensing your confusion and sudden onslaught of anxiety, the stranger rose his hands palm up as if in surrender. 

“Hey, hey, you need to calm down… I wrapped you up nice ‘n tight, so you’ll be secure for at least the next few days until you’ll need to change your bandages. Really, everythin’ was flesh wounds. Just on the surface…”

His words seemed to trail off as your breathing hitched, a wheezing groan passing through your lips as you struggled to remain calm. You had no idea what was going on- this wasn’t supposed to end like this. You were supposed to arrest that crazy son of a bitch and you and the others would be on your merry way. Sure there was resistance to be expected, but not like  _ that.  _

You yourself had mentally prepared for the mental exhaustion that his followers would no doubt have put you through. 

Being nearly burnt to a crisp, blown up, chased, and almost drowning wasn’t anything you were ready to face. Especially with this being your first  _ real  _ time out on the field. It was only a few days ago that you and your colleagues were finally prepared to head into the viper’s pit, with the protection of the U.S. Marshal, of course. Pratt had said something witty, claiming that they were nothing more than backwater lunatics that were full of hot air, he’d had to deal with plenty of them when he was still stationed in the mountains. Hudson had retaliated and scolded him for his childish antics, that this was  _ serious  _ business and he shouldn’t have thought so lightly about it; she’d explained later to you that from her experience with them whilst in Holland Valley was nothing short of stressful. She’d needed the help of the sheriff on a few occasions. 

You remembered Pratt laughing at Hudson’s somber expression and tossing an arm around your shoulders to jostle you, exclaiming that if it  _ were  _ as bad as it sounded that you would just save the day. You’d be the hero! You had laughed awkwardly at his jovial mannerisms and Hudson had exclaimed once more. 

Whitehorse had pulled you to the side after that, the duo arguing in the background as he’d warned you that this would indeed be a dangerous feat- but that you were more than welcome to stay back at the station while he and the others took care of business. 

You felt guilty as the wish to have taken up his offer flitted through your head. 

Instead, you had quickly interjected and nearly demanded that you go with them. You had to learn how it was out on the field. Hudson and Pratt had stopped their bickering to cheer at your bravery. 

You wished you could go back. Go back and beg them to wait and contact more forces. 

“Shoot, hey kid, there’s no need to cry,” The stranger was cutting the tie around your wrists and you slumped to the floor heavily, quickly grasping onto the bed you had been on to push yourself up and into a defensive stance, “Easy now…”

He stepped back and held his hands up again, not before pocketing the large knife he’d used to cut you free. You rubbed your wrists and he moved to the radio, fiddling with it for a moment or two before there was a crackle and the voice that you recognized almost too quickly echoed throughout the room. 

_ “We must give thanks to god. The day I have prophesied to you has arrived. Everything I’ve told you has come true. The authorities who tried to take me from you are now in the loving embrace of my family… save for one. But this wayward soul will be found. They will be punished, and in the end, they will see our glorious purpose. I am your Father. And you are my children. And together we will march to-” _

The stranger shut the radio off and hung his head, seeming to hesitate before he gathered his words. 

You, on the other hand, were already looking for a way out. Eyes flitting about until they landed on the supposedly unguarded doorway. If what the Father,  _ Joseph Seed,  _ said was true then that meant that the others were still alive. You had to help them- you had to get out of here-

“You know what that shit means, don’t you?” The stranger spoke up finally and you snapped your attention back to him, “It means the roads are closed, the lines have been cut, and there’s no signals getting in or out of this valley.”

You swallowed. 

“But most importantly… it means we’re all  _ fucked.” _

He sighed and looked to the side, moving to sit on the edge of the cot and light a cigarette. He took a long drag, the embers glowing and almost casting an ominous light over his features. 

“It’s the goddamn ‘Collapse’. They’re all convinced the world is ending. They’ve been preparing and waiting for years now. Waiting for someone to come along and fulfill their ‘prophecy’ and kick off their goddamn Holy War.”

He shot you a look, as if sizing you up, “And you, kid, you sure as hell kicked… Now the smart thing for me to do would be to hand you over.”

You took a step back and he shook his head, taking another drag of the cancer stick and blowing the dark smoke off to the side. An inner war was obviously taking place within him as he sighed and pushed himself up to stand, waving a hand. 

“You need to change, if you’re even goin’ t’want a chance at survivin’ out there then you need’ta get ‘rid of the green. It’s like a huge, green sign. There’s clothes in that there corner. Come find me when you’re decent. Then we’ll see about un-fucking this situation.”

And with that, he swept out of the room. 

You hesitantly crept over to the assortment of clothing that seemed to have been either left behind or things he’s collected over the time he’s been… here. Wherever here was. However, you weren’t spotting any regular shirts and the idea of simply running around in an undershirt made you feel exposed, so you promptly grabbed a simple zip-up sweater and slipped it over your head. After tugging it down and checking to make sure that the collar was high enough that it would hide any trace of the fatigues beneath, you found yourself content. Gingerly, you knelt down to untie your heavy duty boots and rifled through the clothes to find a pair of pants that both fit and were undamaged. 

It took a bit, but finally you found some that were only a size or so bigger than what you usually wore. Which was fine as there seemed to also be plenty of belts to choose from. After changing and lacing your boots back up, you sought out to find the stranger. 

Thankfully, he was only a room away. You were shocked to see… well, the setup of the room. Off to the side was a large map, red strings pinned here and there, all crossing over each other and connecting something that you didn’t quite understand. In the far off corner where the stranger was were a few old televisions and what looked to be a very, very old radio. A few dozen voices were speaking from it, one after the other after the other. 

You were able to catch a few bits and pieces. All of them were panicking over being attacked by Peggies. Property or something of theirs being taken, needing help desperately, barely being able to hold their own… The thought of more people being taken advantage of, hurt, and worse- killed- shook you to your very core. 

The stranger seemed busy speaking into the microphone attached to the radio, likely trying to give his own advice to those in need. 

Looking back to the large map, you took a few steps closer and studied it. There were four large pictures, one of which was Joseph, the others were the people you recognized that stood behind him at the church. His siblings.

You squinted to read the small lettering, starting with the picture of the man you were most familiar with. 

  
  


‘JOSEPH SEED - THE FATHER 

Leader of the Project at Eden’s Gate. He believes a great “COLLAPSE” is coming and thinks of himself as a modern-day Noah. 

Thinks god speaks to him-- told him to SAVE AS MANY SOULS AS HE CAN. Now that 

he’s started THE REAPING his followers are willing to die for him. 

He’s had his people build three massive BUNKERS to protect themselves when his 

“PROPHECY” comes true… this guy’s an absolute nutjob.’

  
  


The idea that there was such an idea ingrained into someone’s mind had you nervous to think of exactly what this man had in store- if he even had anything at all. What if it were all simply the rantings of a madman? There was no way that he could have  _ actually  _ thought some sort of day of reckoning was going to happen, right? All those things that he had said… What he was throwing to his followers...

Chewing on your inner cheek, you moved onto the rest of the pictures, reading the rest of them quickly. You needed to get in check with the stranger, who was still talking into his mic hurriedly. 

‘FAITH SEED - THE SIREN

Don’t know how she’s related - seems like she just showed up one day… 

She’ll spin you a sob story, but Faith is a LIAR and a MANIPULATOR. She’ll poison your 

mind with BLISS if you give her the chance. 

Anyone who goes wandering into the Henbane River winds up either dead or “WALKING 

THE PATH” to become one of those brain-dead ANGELS doing all the cult’s hard labor.’

  
  


‘JACOB SEED - THE SOLDIER

Oldest brother of the Seeds. In charge of TRAINING their militia up in the Whitetail 

Mountains. 

Only thing he believes in is “SACRIFICE THE WEAK.” Seems to be running a few 

psychological experiments up north - all sorts of nightmare stories about people 

turning on one another at the drop of a hat…

Has been linked to the creation of the monster wolves up north the cult calls JUDGES.’

  
  


‘JOHN SEED - THE BAPTIST

Youngest of the Seed brothers and maybe the most sadistic. 

In charge of “recruiting” for the cult - MARKING, CLEANSING, CONFESSION, 

ATONEMENT… those are the four steps he puts everyone through to become a  
member of Eden’s Gate - if they survive. 

John tells everyone to accept “THE POWER OF YES” as a way to get his followers to do  
whatever the fuck he wants. Grade A psychopath.’

  
  


The last sibling left a found taste in your mouth, the picture of him smirking at the camera made you want to tear it to pieces. He had been the one in the long jacket, the one who wouldn’t stop staring at you. It sort of made sense now that you’d read his dossier, no doubt wanting to have ‘recruit’ you and add you to his little following. 

You finally pulled yourself away from the map and trudged over to the stranger, who’d gone silent, his forefinger and thumb pinching the bridge of his nose. Seeming to sense your presence, he turned and faced you head on. You swallowed and squared your shoulders. 

“Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself yet, have I? Most folks call me Dutch… I’ve been trying to piece together what’s been goin’ on up top… it ain’t too good. However, from what I can gather your partners are alive… for now. They’ve been split up amongst the siblings, each one handed over to a member of Joseph’s ‘family’.”

Your fists automatically clenched and you inhaled sharply. You  _ had  _ to get them back. No matter the cost. You couldn’t let them get hurt, you  _ wouldn’t  _ let them get hurt. They’d promised to protect you, but they’d wound up getting captured themselves. You needed to save them. 

Pratt’s jokes about you being the hero echoed in your ears and you felt your eyes burn. 

“Hey now, you want ‘em back, and I get it- I got friends that have been taken, too. Problem is, there ain’t no help coming. Nobody knows what’s exactly goin’ on and they won’t ‘til it’s too late. ...There’s people out there who are ready to fight back, but they’re too afraid to… we just gotta show ‘em how. We need to build us a resistance… The best place to start that is in Fall’s End. You’ll find a strong group of folks there who’ll be more than ready to rise against those damn Seeds.”

He turned and strode over to a safe off to a small table on the side, picking up your belongings that he must have put there for safe-keeping; at least you hoped so. There was no telling if he knew you were going to be cooperative or not. Most likely wanting to keep himself safe just in case you took a bit more convincing. 

Picking up your gear, which included your walkie talkie, pistol and holsters, and a crumpled map of the county reduced to a blueprint; showing where there were most cult activity and sites.

As you took them, he then went over to the larger map on the wall and pointed to a small ‘island’ in the middle of the county. A large plot of land separated by a few rivers that connected and ran throughout the entirety of the area; you’d never thought someone was inhabiting it until now. 

“There’s three regions here, four if you count Joseph’s…” He pointed to another small island, “Jacob’s region is to the north here, Faith’s to the east, and finally John’s to the west, Fall’s End is there. My island is smack dab in the middle here…”

His face seemed to soften as he looked over the map, frowning and shaking his head.

“There’s people out there that need your help, deputy,” He said softly and you blinked, “Good people. It’s up to us to make sure that we can help in any way that we can.”

You nodded firmly. 

Thinking of really anyone out there in the cult’s hands was making your skin crawl. You could only imagine what was happening to your partners- no. You didn’t want to imagine that, the very thought alone of them even having a remote scratch on them made your blood boil. 

You holstered the gun and clipped the walkie to your belt, folding the map and shoving it into a back pocket while turning on your heel and heading to the doorway. 

“Be careful out there,” Dutch said and you tilted your head to signal you were listening, “Be careful out there- it’s crawling with Peggies. Those motherfuckers are willing to die for the psychopaths leading ‘em.”

You gave one final nod before proceeding to find your way out. 

  
  


The bunker, you were positive at this point that it was indeed one, was riddled with all sorts of goods and supplies. You passed a few different rooms on your way to what you hoped was the exit, Dutch hadn’t exactly given you directions for the place and you felt it’d be a little awkward to go back and request them. 

It wasn’t like it was a maze down here. 

You glanced into the several rooms you passed, noting the bedding and whatnot inside. Dutch must have been preparing for something big- what wasn’t he letting on? Perhaps it was because of the cult taking over the county and he just needed to be away from it all without actually leaving? It wasn’t your place to pry. 

The hall ended, finally, and cut off into a separate room. You rounded the corner and looked up a large staircase to what must have been the hatch to the bunker. You purse your lips and tightened your stance. Stiffly, you started heading up the stairs and placed both palms against the warm metal of the hatch. You could do this. You could save your friends. You could save Dutch’s friends. You could… save Hope County. 

The idea seemed a bit far fetched. Save an  _ entire  _ county? Especially one as large as Hope County? You’d seen the map, you’d seen how large the land was. There was so much to see, so many people. The ringing of their pleas for help stung and you felt your body start to shake with nerves. 

What if you couldn’t help anyone? What if you couldn’t do this? What if you let them all down-- 

You backed away from the bunker doors a few steps and clasped your hands together. You needed to steele your nerves. Think about Whitehorse, Pratt, and Hudson… they were counting on you. They  _ needed  _ you. 

But… if they couldn’t get out then how could you even think about getting close enough to help them? There was no way you could do that… 

_ I have to try.  _

You exhaled the breath you didn’t even realize you’d been holding and slammed your hands against the metal again, shoving it open with all your might. Not even giving it a second thought, you practically exploded out of the bunker, shucking the door closed once you were out. 

You braced yourself and slapped a hand to your holster, eyes flitting about the area… nothing… yet. You nodded firmly to yourself and pulled out the map, giving it a quick once over before turning towards the west. 

It was time to get to work. 

**Author's Note:**

> so, like the deputy, i forgot Burke's name even after he'd mentioned it while calling for help from the trailer. i honestly was so irritated by his character that i just didn't care and went about referring to him as just the Marshal whenever plotting for this fic. eventually!! i will have his name be actually brought up, it'll be a fun little scenario to counter the craziness going on. 
> 
> next chapter will be quite a bit more original, following the deputy to meet their first GFH and their trek to Fall's End. forewarning, lots of carnage happens next chap!
> 
> if you ever wanna chat or have questions that you want answered right away, feel free to follow me on tumblr! --> https://mxnsterblxxd.tumblr.com/


End file.
